Entertainment News Roundup: Netflix boosts Asian leads, lags in Latino roles - report; Triller to pay Sony Music $4.5 million in US music rights case and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Netflix boosts Asian leads, lags in Latino roles - report

Netflix Inc has increased the number of Asian and women in lead roles, but still lags in representing Latinos, the disabled and women of color, a study by the streaming platform and the University of Southern California (USC) found. While Hollywood has made strides in diversity in recent years, some communities criticize the lack of progress, both on and off screen.

Triller to pay Sony Music $4.5 million in US music rights case

TikTok rival Triller Inc has agreed to pay Sony Music Entertainment more than $4.5 million to resolve claims that Triller breached an agreement covering its use of musicians' songs on the platform, according to a Wednesday filing in Manhattan federal court. Sony Music said Triller admitted to liability and would pay the amount it owed under their contract plus interest. The label asked the court for a final judgment on the claim immediately, citing concerns about Triller's ability to pay.

Motor racing-Leclerc has a hit with a different kind of track

Charles Leclerc is flying low in the Formula One standings but climbing high in the music charts with a different kind of track success. The Ferrari driver is a keen piano player and this week released a four minute composition entitled 'Aus23 (1:1)' on streaming platforms.

After Reliance-Warner deal, JioCinema pricing, local content in focus

The video streaming business of Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest person, is likely to focus on pricing and local content following a deal with Warner Bros as it seeks to challenge the likes of Disney and Netflix in India, industry sources said. Under the content deal announced on Thursday, popular series from HBO and Warner Bros, such as Harry Potter and Succession, will be available from next month on the JioCinema platform, which Ambani's Viacom18 has promoted for weeks by offering popular IPL cricket matches for free.

Katy Perry loses trademark fight with Australian fashion designer

An Australian court has ruled that pop superstar Katy Perry infringed the trademark of a Sydney-based fashion designer who has sold her products locally under a label with her birth name "Katie Perry". Katie Taylor, who filed the lawsuit in 2019, alleged the singer ignored the trademark and sold Katy Perry clothing to Australian customers during her concert tours in the country in 2014 and 2018 through retailers and websites.

Fugees rapper convicted in US over lobbying campaigns with Malaysian financier

A jury on Wednesday convicted Grammy Award-winning rapper Prakazrel "Pras" Michel of The Fugees hip hop group on criminal charges that he conspired with a Malaysian financier to orchestrate a series of foreign lobbying campaigns aimed at influencing the U.S. government under two presidents. His conviction in federal court in Washington followed a trial that was filled with political intrigue and featured high-profile witnesses including Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Michel endured a blistering cross-examination by prosecutors while testifying in his own defense.

King Charles coronation to be recorded as an album

The coronation of Britain's King Charles next month will be released as an album, the first time a recording of such a historic ceremony will be available to audiences worldwide. In a statement on Friday, label Decca Records said it would record the May 6 service at Westminster Abbey, as well as pre-service music, as "The Official Album of the Coronation" and release it for streaming and download on the same day.

Ed Sheeran strums guitar, sings 'Thinking Out Loud' at copyright trial

Ed Sheeran played the chord progression to his hit song "Thinking Out Loud" and sang a few of the words on the witness stand in Manhattan federal court on Thursday during a trial over whether he copied Marvin Gaye's classic "Let's Get it On." Testifying as the first witness in his own defense, the British singer-songwriter described his process for writing the song about everlasting love in 2014, shortly after he began a new romantic relationship and after his grandfather died.

Actress Eva Green wins London court case over fee for failed film

Hollywood actress Eva Green on Friday won a legal fight with financiers whom she had sued in London's High Court for her fee for a failed film in which she was to star. The French actress, whose film credits include the James Bond movie "Casino Royale", had sued White Lantern Films and SMC Specialty Finance for the $1 million fee she said she was owed for the planned independent movie "A Patriot", in which she was to play the lead role as a soldier.

Jerry Springer, raucous talk show host, dead at 79

Television personality Jerry Springer, known for a long-running talk show that featured raucous audiences, controversial topics and fist-fighting guests and who briefly served as Cincinnati mayor, died at age 79 on Thursday, his family said. Springer died peacefully after a brief illness at his home in suburban Chicago, his family said in a statement. The cause of death was not specified.